''Raftaar'' (Speed) is a 1975
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
action
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by Dinesh-Ramanesh and produced by S. I. Shivdasani.
Its music was composed by the music directing duo
Sonik Omi. The story writer was Rajvansh, while screenplay and dialogues were by K. B. Pathak. The lyricists were
Verma Malik
Verma Malik (13 April 1925 – 15 March 2009) was a Bollywood film songs lyricist. He was an active freedom fighter during the British Raj. He wrote many patriotic songs and bhajans and recited them immediately prior to penning lyrics for fi ...
, Omkar Verma and Abhilash.
Vinod Mehra
Vinod Mehra (13 February 1945 – 30 October 1990) was an Indian actor in Bollywood, Indian films. He started out as a child actor in the late 1950s before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He acted in over 100 films from the 1970s t ...
was cast in the main role as Vikram. Mehra had started his career in Roop K. Shorey's ''
Ek Thi Reeta
''Ek Thi Reeta'' (A Girl Called Reeta) is a 1971 Bollywood action comedy thriller, produced and directed by Roop K. Shorey. The film was an adaptation of Shorey's earlier success ''Ek Thi Ladki'' (1949), which starred his wife actress Meena Shore ...
'' (1971) and became an established star following ''
Anuraag'' (1973); ''Raftaar'' was noted as one of his prominent films in the 1970s.
The cast included
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
,
Danny Denzongpa
Tshering Phintso "Danny" Denzongpa (born 25 February 1948) is an Indian actor, singer and film director who primarily works in Hindi films. He has acted in over 190 films since 1971. In 2003, Denzongpa was awarded the Padma Shree, India's fourt ...
,
Madan Puri
Madan Puri (30 September 1915 – 13 January 1985) was an Indian actor of Hindi and Punjabi films. His brothers were actors Chaman Puri and Amrish Puri. As a character actor mainly in negative roles (villain), he acted in about 430 films in a ca ...
,
Ranjeet
Ranjeet Bedi (born 13 September 1942 as Gopal Bedi) popularly known as Ranjeet, is an Indian actor and film director born in Jandiala Guru near Amritsar (Punjab), best known for his work in Bollywood.Singh, Nonika (1999)Ranjeet's triple love" ...
, Arpana Chowdhary and Jankidas.
''Raftaar'' was a romantic action thriller film with drama. It involves a young city man sent to a village to work. He falls in love with a village girl who dies, but mysteriously reappears in his life under another identity.
The film was given a three star rating, with its music by Sonik Omi cited as being "good".
Plot
Rani (
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
) is a village girl living with her ever-grumbling step-mother (Lalita Kumari) and father (
Jankidas
Jankidas Mehra (1910 – 18 June 2003) was an Indian actor of Hindi cinema, cyclist, production designer, and writer. He made over 1000 film appearances between the 1930s and 1997.
Biography
Sports
Jankidas served as the only Indian member of ...
). At the start of the film, she is shown playing
kabaddi
Kabaddi is a contact team sport. Played between two teams of seven players, the objective of the game is for a single player on offence, referred to as a "raider", to run into the opposing team's half of the court, touch out as many of their ...
with other girls. They trouble the village simpleton Banelal (Birbal) and are reprimanded by his father (
Sunder
Sunder may refer to:
*Sunder (actor)
Sunder Singh as some of his earlier movies he's screen name given Sundar Lall he was a noted Indian film actor between the 1930s and 1980s. He acted in many Hindi and Punjabi language films in his career ...
). While trying to get water from the village well, Rani slips and falls inside. Vikram (Vinod Mehra), who works for Pramod Kumar (Danny Denzongpa) as a manager is sent to the village to get some job done. He stops to fill water in his car, which has heated up and helps Rani by pulling her out of the well. Vikram falls in love with her and promises to marry her when he saves her from committing suicide to avoid an arranged marriage.
Kumar arrives at the village and demands that his housekeeper to get Rani for him. He sends Vikram to the city on some pretext and rapes Rani. Rani is seen jumping into the river by the housekeeper. However, she is saved by a kind-hearted Christian gentleman Jackson (
Madan Puri
Madan Puri (30 September 1915 – 13 January 1985) was an Indian actor of Hindi and Punjabi films. His brothers were actors Chaman Puri and Amrish Puri. As a character actor mainly in negative roles (villain), he acted in about 430 films in a ca ...
), who has lost his daughter, Rita, several years ago.
Vikram gets implicated in some wrongdoing and is sent to prison for a year. On his return, he finds Kumar attempting to rape another girl and gets hurt in the fight. He is found unconscious by some gypsies who care for him. He then helps a young woman, Radha (Arpana Chaudhary) and her child, in search of her husband, and shifts to the city. Kumar spots Rani who is now pretending to be Rita and discovers her identity when he hears her sing at a function.
Rita/Rani is after revenge and pretends to be friendly with Kumar. Following some fight scenes and melodramatic moments, Kumar repents when he finds he has a son, and goes to jail. Vikram and Rani get together.
Cast
*
Vinod Mehra
Vinod Mehra (13 February 1945 – 30 October 1990) was an Indian actor in Bollywood, Indian films. He started out as a child actor in the late 1950s before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He acted in over 100 films from the 1970s t ...
as Vikram
*
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
as Rani / Rita
*
Danny Denzongpa
Tshering Phintso "Danny" Denzongpa (born 25 February 1948) is an Indian actor, singer and film director who primarily works in Hindi films. He has acted in over 190 films since 1971. In 2003, Denzongpa was awarded the Padma Shree, India's fourt ...
as Pramod Kumar
*
Ranjeet
Ranjeet Bedi (born 13 September 1942 as Gopal Bedi) popularly known as Ranjeet, is an Indian actor and film director born in Jandiala Guru near Amritsar (Punjab), best known for his work in Bollywood.Singh, Nonika (1999)Ranjeet's triple love" ...
as Chandu Banjara
*
Madan Puri
Madan Puri (30 September 1915 – 13 January 1985) was an Indian actor of Hindi and Punjabi films. His brothers were actors Chaman Puri and Amrish Puri. As a character actor mainly in negative roles (villain), he acted in about 430 films in a ca ...
as Jackson (Rita's Father)
*
Sunder
Sunder may refer to:
*Sunder (actor)
Sunder Singh as some of his earlier movies he's screen name given Sundar Lall he was a noted Indian film actor between the 1930s and 1980s. He acted in many Hindi and Punjabi language films in his career ...
as Bankelal's Father
*
Mohan Choti
Mohan Choti (1935 – 1 February 1992) was an Indian actor who worked as a comedian in Hindi films. The name Mohan Choti came from a fictional character of the same name from the 1957 film '' Musafir'', in which he plays a tea shop delivery boy ...
as Sakharam
*
Birbal
Birbal (; born Mahesh Das; 1528 16 February 1586), or Raja Birbal, was a Saraswat Hindu Bhatt Brahmin advisor and main commander (''Mukhya Senapati'') of army in the court of the Mughal emperor, Akbar. He is mostly known in the Indian subcon ...
as Bankelal
*
Jankidas
Jankidas Mehra (1910 – 18 June 2003) was an Indian actor of Hindi cinema, cyclist, production designer, and writer. He made over 1000 film appearances between the 1930s and 1997.
Biography
Sports
Jankidas served as the only Indian member of ...
as Rani's Father
*
Lalita Kumari
Lalita or Lalitha may refer to:
Hinduism
* Tripura Sundari, or Lalita, a goddess in Shaktism
* Lalita (gopi), a figure in Krishna tradition
Film
* ''Lalita'' (1949 film), an Indian folklore Oriya film
* ''Lalitha'' (film), a 1976 Tamil film ...
as Rani's Step-mother
*
Arpana Choudhary as Radha (Pramod's Wife)
Soundtrack
The music composers were
Sonik Omi.
The songs were written by three lyricists,
Verma Malik
Verma Malik (13 April 1925 – 15 March 2009) was a Bollywood film songs lyricist. He was an active freedom fighter during the British Raj. He wrote many patriotic songs and bhajans and recited them immediately prior to penning lyrics for fi ...
,
Omkar Verma and Abhilash, with playback singing provided by
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the ...
,
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
and
Mukesh Mukesh is an epithet for the Hindu god Shiva, and literally means "conqueror of the Muka demon". It also means god of 3 worlds, heaven, hell & earth, which in turn represents Hindu god Shiva. It is commonly used as a male given name in India. Peopl ...
. The film had one of the rare duets by
Mukesh Mukesh is an epithet for the Hindu god Shiva, and literally means "conqueror of the Muka demon". It also means god of 3 worlds, heaven, hell & earth, which in turn represents Hindu god Shiva. It is commonly used as a male given name in India. Peopl ...
and
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the ...
"Sansar Hai Ek Nadiya", picturised on
Madan Puri
Madan Puri (30 September 1915 – 13 January 1985) was an Indian actor of Hindi and Punjabi films. His brothers were actors Chaman Puri and Amrish Puri. As a character actor mainly in negative roles (villain), he acted in about 430 films in a ca ...
and
Moushumi Chatterjee
Moushumi Chatterjee (born Indira Chattopadhyay) is an Indian actress who is recognised for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She was one of the highest paid actresses in Hindi films during the 1970s. She joined the Bharatiya Janata ...
. "Main Teri Heer Hoon, Teri Taqdeer Hoon" by
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
and
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the ...
is also considered as one of the gems with superb music by
Sonik Omi.
Song list
References
External links
* {{IMDb title, id=0431350, title=Raftaar
1975 films
Films scored by Sonik-Omi
1970s Hindi-language films
1970s action drama films
1975 drama films